Zoom Into Yourself on the Train, Kira D.

4 train to J to F at Delancy / Essex, January 29th, 2017 (technically the 30th)

My birthday. The trains were rerouted. It was 1AM and I had no idea how I would get to Brooklyn. A stranger said I could follow her. She was very self-assured and her hair was arranged in spectacular tubes of color. We got around to talking about my dinner, about people on the train, about where we were headed, about the last poet and the confidence to say yes. By now it was 1:30, much later than I am usually on the subway. I asked her to write a poem. She ripped out a sheet from a gold covered notebook and wrote this. The last stanza stands my hairs on end. And so I begin again on the subway, giving riders a place to speak their mind during this strange time.
Kira works in special events at a prominent Manhattan hotel. She has a personal journaling practice. I’m hoping she goes public.

Zoom into yourself on the train
Zoom out to watch the world
Sooo easy to mind your business
as a New Yorker
Harder to do as a humanitarian

It’s interesting…
Since you know that I’m judged
But you still assume:
ANGRY IGNORANT GHETTO

I’m interesting…
A realist who happens to dream
And keeps a Awe-list instead
of a bucket

Zoom out to acknowledge me
Reach out to touch me
Rock out to share w/ me
Give in to loving me